Method and apparatus for wireless management of articles
First Claim
1. A method implemented by a master RFID tag, the method comprising:
- transmitting at least one first RFID read signal to a plurality of RFID tags local to the master RFID tag;
receiving a first RFID response signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags in response to the at least one first RFID read signal, each of the first RFID response signals comprising an identifier associated with an article;
maintaining an article record indicating at least one expected article that is to be managed by the master RFID tag;
comparing each of the identifiers with the article record in an attempt to compile contextual information associated with the article record; and
responsive to receipt of a second RFID read signal from an RFID reader, transmitting a second RFID response signal comprising the contextual information associated with the article record.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for wireless management of articles. The method is implemented by a master RFID tag. The method includes transmitting at least one first RFID read signal to a plurality of RFID tags local to the master RFID tag and receiving a first RFID response signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags in response to the at least one first RFID read signal. Each of the first RFID response signals comprises an identifier associated with an article. The method further includes maintaining an article record indicating at least one expected article that is to be managed by the master RFID tag and comparing each of the identifiers with the article record in an attempt to compile contextual information associated with the article record. Finally, the method further includes transmitting a master signal comprising the contextual information associated with the article record. Embodiments of the present invention are also directed to a master RFID tag comprising a first communication unit, a memory unit, a processing unit and a second communication unit.
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Citations
97 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a master RFID tag, the method comprising:
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transmitting at least one first RFID read signal to a plurality of RFID tags local to the master RFID tag; receiving a first RFID response signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags in response to the at least one first RFID read signal, each of the first RFID response signals comprising an identifier associated with an article; maintaining an article record indicating at least one expected article that is to be managed by the master RFID tag; comparing each of the identifiers with the article record in an attempt to compile contextual information associated with the article record; and responsive to receipt of a second RFID read signal from an RFID reader, transmitting a second RFID response signal comprising the contextual information associated with the article record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A master RFID tag comprising:
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a first communication unit operative for; transmitting at least one first RFID read signal to a plurality of RFID tags local to the master RFID tag; and receiving a first RFID response signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags in response to the at least one first RFID read signal, each of the first RFID response signals comprising an identifier associated with an article; a memory unit operative for staring an article record indicating at least one expected article that is to be managed by the master RFID tag; a processing unit operative for comparing each of the identifiers with the article record in an attempt to compile contextual information associated with the article record; and a second communication unit operative for, responsive to receipt of a second RFID read signal from an RFID reader, transmitting a second RFID response signal comprising the contextual information associated with the article record. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. A method implemented by a master RFID tag, the method comprising:
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transmitting at least one first RFID read signal to a plurality of RFID tags local to the master RFID tag; receiving a first RFID response signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags in response to the at least one first RFID read signal, each of the first RFID response signals comprising an identifier associated with an article, the identifiers received within the first RFID response signals being a first set of identifiers; transmitting a request signal to a second master RFID tag; receiving data associated with a second set of identifiers from the second master RFID tag; maintaining an article record indicating at least one expected article that is to be managed by the master RFID tag; comparing each of the identifiers with the article record in an attempt to compile contextual information associated with the article record; and transmitting a master signal comprising the contextual information associated with the article record. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A master RFID tag comprising:
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a first communication unit operative for;
transmitting at least one first RFID read signal to a plurality of RFID tags local to the master RFID tag;
receiving a first RFID response signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags in response to the at least one first RFID read signal, each of the first RFID response signals comprising an identifier associated with an article, the identifiers received within the first RFID response signals being a first set of identifiers;
transmitting a request signal to a second master RFID tag; and
receiving data associated with a second set of identifiers from the second master RFID tag;a memory unit operative for storing an article record indicating at least one expected article that is to be managed by the master RFID tag; a processing unit operative for comparing each of the identifiers with the article record in an attempt to compile contextual information associated with the article record; and a second communication unit operative for transmitting a master signal comprising the contextual information associated with the article record. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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Specification